WILLIAM MARK SIMMONS

305 VERNON

WEST MONROE, LOUISIANA 71291

(318) 325-0828

email: msimmons@bayou.com


CAREER HIGHLIGHTS


CURRENTLY
General Manager & Program Director of KEDM-FM in Monroe, Louisiana

 RADIO
Producer/Disk Jockey/Rnnouncer/Commentator experience in Classical, Jazz, New Age, Big Band/"Music of Your Life", and Newstalk formats.

 Management experience as Program Director, Operations Manager, Music Director, and Director of Production for both Commercial and Public Radio Classical formats, hiring and overseeing paid and volunteer staffs.

 Engineered Studio and On-site Performance recordings in Analog and Digital formats.

 Conducted in-person and telephone interviews with various artists and performers including Leonard Slatkin (St. Louis Symphony) and Vladamir Spivakov (Moscow Virtuosi).

 Built KRPS-FM Music Library from "scratch" through Purchase and Donations; and assisted in putting KRPS-FM "on the air."

 Created 15 Field, Computerized Database of Music Library and built it up to over 32,000 Records.

 Composed a 237 page Calendar of Composer/Musician Birthdays arranged by Month and Day for Station use.

 Put together a Pronunciation File for Classical Announcers with over 5,000 alphabetized listings.

 Instituted Programming and Marketing campaigns that resulted in KEDM winning the 1998 National "Best Overall Development & Marketing, First Place" Award from NPR, VisABILITY, PRADO and The Development Exchange.

 JOURNALISM
Twice awarded by the Missouri College Newspaper Association for a weekly newspaper column.

 Editor of "The Leader's Digest" and Associate Editor of "The Neighbor" magazines for the Independence Neighborhood Councils Association.

 Associate Editor of the KXTR Program Guide.

 Editor of the KRPS & KEDM Program Guides

 Editor of "Acts" magazine for Harvest House Ministries.

 Published Novels:

In The Net of Dreams (Warner/Questar 1990) - Compton Crook Award finalist, Locus "Best List" for 1991)

 When Dreams Collide (Warner/Questar 1992)

 One Foot In The Grave (Baen Books 1996)
TELEVISION
First Season Producer/Host of "Coffeehouse" a weekly, Musical/Variety show on Central Missouri State University and local cable-access in Warrensburg, Missouri. Second Season Producer/Director.

 MARKETING
Wrote, edited, and produced Sales materials, radio-quality Demo tapes and Broadcast "Telespots" for product and service promotions. Developed marketing campaigns and strategies for exclusive clientele. Won "Addy" Awards in 1995 and 1996 for writing and producing promotional materials and campaigns for KEDM-FM.

 THEATER
Acted in, crewed, and/or directed a number of stage productions, including:
 "The King & I" (Rogers & Hammerstein)
 "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (Shakespeare)
 "A Man For All Seasons" (Robert Bolt)
 "Sheep On The Runway" (Art Buchwald)
 "Stories of America" (Stephen Vincent Ben6t)
 "A Thurber Carnival" (James Thurber)
 "God's Favorite" (Neil Simon)

 COMMUNITY
Host/emcee for Monroe Symphony Orchestra Pops Concerts
Member of the Monroe Symphony Board of Directors
Annual Presenter for the Rivertown Awards of Excellence
Telethon Host for Habitat forHumanity & The Children's Miracle Network
Sponsor & Instructor for Speculative Fiction Writers Group
Pastor for Saints Church, West Monroe Congregation

 INSTRUCTIONAL EXPERIENCE
Taught Fundamentals of Speech Communications for Labette Community College.

 Taught Civic Leaders skills in Community Organization and Process Facilitation for the Independence Neighborhood Councils.

 Taught Community First Aid courses as a Certified Instructor for the American Red Cross

 Trained Announcers in all aspects of Radio Announcing, Music Programming, Audio Production, 3rd Class License Engineering requirements, and Language & Pronunciation skills

 Guest lecturer and panelist on Speculative Fiction Writing Seminars in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

 Currently administering the "Practicum" course for University of Louisiana, Monroe's Radio/Television/Film Department.

 COMPUTER SKILLS
Experience with Word Processing, Desktop Publishing, and Database programs on IBM Compatible, Macintosh, and Apple II systems. Extensive experience in DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows 98 Operation Systems.

 EDUCATION
1971-72 Penn Valley Community College in Kansas City, Missouri

 1973-75 Graceland College In Lamoni, Iowa (Dramatic Arts)

 1975-76 Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri 1977-78 (Theater/Mass Communications)

 Graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications in 1978.

 EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
1995 to Present
General Manager/Program Director
 (Also ULM Adjunct Instructor for Radio/TV/Film Practicum)
 KEDM-FM
 225 Stubbs Hall - University of Louisiana, Monroe
 Monroe, Louisiana 71209 / (318) 342-5556

 1994-1995
Program Director/Operations Manager
 (Also ULM Adjunct Instructor for Radio/TV/Film Practicum)
 KEDM-FM
 225 Stubbs Hall - University of Louisiana, Monroe
 Monroe, Louisiana 71209 / (318) 342-5556

 1993-1994
Adjunct Faculty (Speech Communication/Creative Writing)
 Labette Community College
 200 South Fourteenth Street
 Parsons, Kansas 67357 / (316) 421-6700

 1988-1993
Music Director/Program Director
 KRPS-FM
 (Classical/Jazz/Blues/Folk/New Age/NPR News formats)
 Pittsburg State University
 1701 S. Broadway
 Pittsburg, Kansas 66762 / (316) 235-4283

 1986-1988
Music Director/Operations Manager/Program Director/
 Traffic Manager-United Stations Network 2
 KXTR-FM
 (Commercial Classical format)
 1701 South 55th Street
 Kansas City, Kansas 66106 / (913) 432-1480.

 1984-1986
Announcer/Operations Manager
 KXTR-FM
 1701 South 55th Street
 Kansas City, Kansas 66106 / (913) 432-1480.
1983-1984 Director of Marketing
 R.D. Baker Enterprises, Inc.
 12837 Flushing Meadow Drive
 Town and Country, Missouri 63131.
 (No longer in business)
1981-1983 Announcer/Operations Manager
 KXTR-FM HPEA-AM
(Music of Your Life/Newstalk formats)
1701 South 55th Street Kansas City, Kansas
66106 / (913) 432-1480.

 1980-1981
Administrative Assistant/Director of Communications
 Harvest House Ministries
 211 1/2 West Lexington
 Independence, Missouri 64050
 (No longer in operation)

 1978-1980
Communications Coordinator/Process Facilitator
Neighborhood Councils of Independence, Inc.
 201 West Maple
 Independence, Missouri 64050
 (816) 833-4225

 Air Check & Letters of Reference available Upon Request

 PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
Keith Retzer
 Chief Engineer for KRPS-FM
 RR 3, Box 452
 Pittsburg, Ks. 66762

 (316) 235-4285 (Office)
 (316) 232-5637 (Home)

 James Cunningham
 Vice President of Ingram & Co. (owners of KXTR-FM)
 Suite 800
 306 E. 12th Street
 Kansas City, Missouri 64105

 (816) 221-1800 (Office)

 David Wilson
 Program Director for KBEA-AM
 1701 South 55th Street
 Kansas City, Kansas 66106

 (913) 334-1302 (personal studio line - mornings only)
 (913) 432-1480 (station)

 Martin Berkofsky
 International Concert Pianist, Musicoligist,
 Former Host of "Keyboard Classics"
 Pointe of View Farm
 Rt. 4, Box 195
 Marshall, Virginia 22115

 (703) 364-3134 (Home)

 (800) 674-8304 x.1857(Voice Mail)

RADIO PROGRAMS PRODUCED AND/OR HOSTED


{Note: Some of these programs had a pre-determined life-span and have run their course, others disappeared when I or the last host. In most cases my intent was to develop a program and then pass the torch to a new host & producer.}

 "ASK MR.MUSIC" (KRPS) - 4 minute daily question & answer session with Dr. Gene Vollen, Chair of the Pittsburg State University Music Department. {Co-Creator, Co-Producer & CoHost}

 "BACK TO BACH" (KRPS) - I hour weekly program showcasing the music of the Bach family. {Creator, Former Producer & Host / now Produced & Hosted by Dr. Susan Marchant, Bach scholar}

 "BASICALLY BEETHOVEN" (KRPS) - 1 hour weekly program featuring the music of Beethoven in a chronological sequence with historical background. {Creator, Producer & Host program ended with the first reconstructed movement of Symphony #10}

 "BAYOU DIVERSITY" (KEDM) - 3 to 5 minute weekly feature concerning the flora, fauna, and history of Northeast Lousiana. {Developed with Host Kelby Ouchley}

 "BIG BAND, JAZZ & SWING" (KRPS) - 3 hour Friday night program featuring a mix of Vintage Jazz with the Big Band & Swing sounds of the 20's, 30's, and 40's. {Creator and at various times over the past 5 years, Host & Producer - this slot is currently filled with syndicated tape programs (I also hosted this format regularly when KBEA was a "Music of Your Life" format)}

 "BRASS ODYSSEY" (KRPS) - 30 minute weekly program featuring music written or transcribed for Brass Instruments. {Co-Creator & Former Producer with Producer/Host Robert Kehle, Professor of Music at P.S.U.}

 "CHECKUP ON HEALTH" (KEDM) - Original producer of Gary Host's 3-minute medical info show on KEDM.

 "DIGITAL WORKSPACE11 (KRPS) - 10 minute weekly program discussing and answering listeners' questions concerning personal computer hardware and software. {Creator, Producer & Host with Dr. A.0. Brown, Systems Expert}

 "FRIDAY AFTERNOON MATINEE" (KXTR/KRPS) - 3-4 hours weekly of Lite Classics, Movie music, Broadway & Show tunes. {Producer & Host for these slots at both stations}

 "INVITATION TO THE DANCE" (KXTR) - 1 hour weekly program of music written specifically as dance music, largely (but not exclusively) featuring ballet. {Creator, Producer & Host}

 "KEDM DATEBOOK" - 3 minute daily calendar of community events {Creator, Original Producer & Voice}

 "KEYBOARD CLASSICS" (KXTR/KRPS) 1 hour weekly program showcasing music written for keyboard instruments - not exclusively restricted to the piano, organ & harpsichord. {Former Producer & Host - the last Host was international concert pianist & musicologist Martin Berkofsky - program was terminated when Mr. Berkofsky moved to Virginia}

 11KXTR/KRPS FINE ARTS CALENDARS" - 4 minute daily calendar of community events relating to arts and entertainment. {Former Producer & Host}

 "LAGNIAPPE" - 9 minute interview program relating to the arts and events in Northeast Louisiana {Alternate host}

 "MODERN TIMES" (KXTR) - 1 hour weekly program dedicated to music of the 20th century. {Producer & Host}

 -MOSTLY 13IG BANDS" (KEDM) - Created 2-hour show for Host & Producer Richard Harrison
 "MOZART FOR THE MOST PART" (KRPS) - 1 hour weekly program featuring the music of the Mozart Family in chronological sequence with historical background and occasional side trips to examine the music of contemporaries like Haydn & Salieri. {Creator, Producer & Host - series ended with the Requiem and a brief examination of the music of Franz Xavier Mozart}

 -NOCTURNES" (KEDM) - 2-hour program blending classical and new age styles for late evening relaxation, Monday through Friday. {Co-creator with present host, Don Dixon.}

 11OPERADDICTS11 (KRPS) - 1 hour weekly program featuring music from the world of Opera for both the Opera lover and people who think they don't like or can't understand opera. {Co-creator & Former Producer / Produced & Hosted by Professor Paul Huybrechts of the P.S.U. Music Faculty}

 "OPUS ONE" (KXTR) - I hour weekly program featuring the earliest known music of various composers and "firsts" in numbered series of works. {Creator, Producer & Host}

 "P.S.U. SPOTLIGHT" (KRPS) - 10 minute weekly program featuring interviews with current & former members of the Pittsburg State University community. {Co-creator & Former Producer / later produced by Chris Kelly with Kaye Lynne Webb Host & Co-producer}

 "SATURDAY AFTERNOON CLASSICS" (KEDM) - 3 -and-a-half hour Saturday Afternoon program of Light Classics when the Texaco Metropolitan Opera is not in season. {Originally Developed & hosted / Format has changed under current host Marilynn Turner}

 "SOUNDWAVES" (KRPS) - 90 minute weekly program featuring a mix of New Age and New Sounds in Music. {Creator, Former Producer & Host / later Produced & Hosted by Stephen Carney}